Inspection Services Blog

Author Archives: Nicole Nunes

2019 Request for Proposals

The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) funds and facilitates research to advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use of fertilizer in California. The FREP grant program uses a two-phase annual process. Phase I, the submission of concept proposals, is now open! Below is a list of frequently asked questions to address common concerns. If you have any additional …


Central Coast Organic Amendment Workshop

On Saturday, November 17, 2018 the University of California Cooperative Extension presented a workshop alongside Monterey County Resource Conservation District and the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA). The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) attended this workshop along with approximately 50 other participants interested in learning about or using organic amendments in their production systems. Over the course of …


Research Update: Irrigation Training to Optimize Irrigation Efficiency and Minimize Nutrient Loss

Project Leaders: Trina Walley, Program Coordinator with East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District and Khaled Bali, Irrigation Water Management Specialist for University of California Kearney Agriculture Research and Extension Center Project Status: Year One Project Location: Stanislaus County Overview With growing advancements in technology, there is a high demand for individuals with technical training in irrigation and nitrogen management. The East …


Central Coast Irrigation and Nutrient Management Farm Tour Highlights

On the day before this year’s annual conference, FREP hosted a field tour to emphasize challenges and innovations in Central Coast agricultural irrigation and nutrient management. Over 70 people attended the tour of two ranches, where growers presented their personal nutrient and irrigation management experiences. The tour began with a bus ride from Seaside to Salinas, where University of California …


Recap: The 2018 FREP WPHA Annual Conference

The twenty-sixth annual Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and Western Plant Health Association (WPHA) Conference took place October 23-24, 2018 in Seaside, CA. Speakers from industry, academia, and agricultural consulting provided cutting edge information on nutrient and irrigation management in California agriculture. Below you will find a highlight reel featuring key talks at this year’s conference. The PowerPoint presentation …


2018 Central Coast Irrigation and Nutrient Management Farm Tour

What: This year, the Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) has added a pre-conference farm tour to the agenda of the 2018 FREP/WPHA Annual Conference. The tour will visit Huntington Farms and Tanimura & Antle to discuss the companies’ efforts in implementing nutrient and irrigation best management practices. Why: Managing irrigation and nutrients in the Central Coast is unique due …


Research Update: Implementing Practices to Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agricultural Soils

Project Title: N2O emissions under different on-farm irrigation and nutrient management BMPs that reduce groundwater nitrate loading and applied water Project Leader: Arlene Haffa, School of Natural Sciences, California State University, Monterey Bay Location: Central Coast Focus Crops: Strawberry, Lettuce, Broccoli Overview: The primary goal of this project is to develop a better understanding of farm management practices that can …


Nitrogen Management Update Meeting, Oct. 13, 2018

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) has teamed up with the California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) and the Western Region Certified Crop Adviser Board (WRCCA) to host a nitrogen management update meeting on October 13, 2018, open to all agricultural professionals. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the …


2018 FREP Grant Cycle, Phase II

In this year’s competitive grant process, twelve project leaders were invited to submit full proposals. The proposals, listed below, are now under review by experts in the field and the Fertilizer Research and Education Program’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC). Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit, applicability to California agriculture, and the potential for impact on stakeholders. Once the proposals have …


Research Update: Nitrogen management of organic leafy green vegetables on the Central Coast

Project Title: “Evaluation and demonstration of nitrogen management of organic vegetable production in leafy green vegetables on the Central Coast” Project Leaders: Richard Smith, Michael Cahn, and Tim Hartz Location: California Central Coast Overview: This project aims to evaluate the proportion of crop nitrogen (N) that is provided by soil organic matter mineralization in organic leafy vegetable production under coastal climate conditions. This research …